15 classic children's books even adults love

15 classic kids' books adults love – "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstein. "As a child I loved the simple story and it has resonated with me more and more as an adult." — Samantha Sadler Layman

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15 classic kids' books adults love15 photos

15 classic kids' books adults love – "Ferdinand," by Munro Leaf. "My dad read it to me as a baby girl recovering in the hospital. We read together until his grandsons were born. And then we read to them. 'Just quietly under the cork tree.'" — Cindy Lee Claplanhoo

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15 classic kids' books adults love – "The Saggy Baggy Elephant," by Kathryn Jackson and Byron Jackson. "My grandma would read that to me when I was little. I was so proud when I could finally read it by myself." — Charmin Garst Savage

15 classic kids' books adults love – "Harold and the Purple Crayon," by Crockett Johnson. "I was so inspired by Harold's imagination and realized that books could take me anyplace I wanted to go, just like Harold." — Leslie Fischer

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15 classic kids' books adults love – "The Poky Little Puppy," by Janette Sebring Lowrey. "My mom would read 'The Poky Little Puppy' to me when I was a kid. I was soon addicted to the written word." — Chrystal Hogan Hood

15 classic kids' books adults love – "Madeline," by Ludwig Bemelmans. "I truly started imagining living all over the world — and so I have...." — Karin Thompson

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15 classic kids' books adults love – "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," by Judi Barrett. "I have a master's degree in English and it's still one of my favorite books." — Jessica Kosowski Zandan

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15 classic kids' books adults love – "Raggedy Ann & Andy," by Johnny Gruelle. "My mom ordered the Raggedy Ann & Andy series for me; they were my first hardcover books. I watched for them in the mail and devoured them, hiding from my five younger siblings." — Kim Bennett

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15 classic kids' books adults love – "Little Bear," by Else Holmelund Minarik. "My first favorite book that I remember and still think about is Little Bear. There have been many books since then, but that is the one that I would read over and over and then read to my little sister. Sometimes I find it in a thrift store and have to open it up to see the pages." — Erin Almond

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15 classic kids' books adults love – "The Five Chinese Brothers," by Claire Huchet Bishop. "I was just learning to read. I took it out of the library all the time. The librarian told me I should ask my parents to buy it for me!" — Charlene Sandone Weaver

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15 classic kids' books adults love – "The Snowy Day," by Ezra Jack Keats. "It was the first book that I encountered with characters whose skin color was the same hue as mine. It is also the first book that I have purchased for all of my great-nieces and -nephews." — Darlene Whi

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15 classic kids' books adults love15 photos

15 classic kids' books adults love – "Where the Sidewalk Ends," by Shel Silverstein. "I carried it around with me and read aloud to anyone who would listen (and some who wouldn't)!" — Meaghan Burke Proctor